Electromagnetic inertia impact article marking machine



March 23, 1965 M. E. BoEKELoo ETAL 3,174,426

ELECTROMAGNETIC INER'I'IA IMPACT ARTICLE MARKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 23, 1965 M. E. BoEKELoo ETAL 3,174,426

ELECTROMAGNETIC INERTIA IMPACT ARTICLE MARKING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1962 ,26 5&4.

March 23, 1965 M. E. BoEKELoo ETAL 3,174,426

ELECTROMAGNETIC INERTIA IMPACT ARTICLE MARKING MACHINE 7 01 PME/@SON 54 INVENTORS 6. BY @7M/5w@ United States Patent@ 3,174,426 ELECTRGMAGNETIC INERTIA IMPACT ARTICLE MARKING MACHINE v Merrill E. Boekeloo, San Gabriel, Steven L. Patterson, Whittier, Forrest V. Hoffman, San Gabriel, and Tor H. Petterson, Laguna Beach, Calif., assignors to Kwikrnrk, incorporated, El Monte, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Jan. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 165,116 3 Claims. (Cl. 10i-472) This invention relates to a machine for marking indicia such as prices or stock numbers on cans, packages, machine parts or other articles.

Heretofore marking machines have been operable by solenoids or the like which have been deenergized immediately upon the impact of the printing unit with an article which has caused a liuttering action of the type head on the article, thereby producing a blurred mark. T he invention herein described overcomes this objection by deenergizing a solenoid operated printing unit just prior to the impact of the printing unit with an article to be marked and it is therefore the primary object of the invention, toprovide means to perform such a function to produce a clear and distinct mark on an article.

Another object of the invention is to provide a marking machine with an ink roller which is normally positioned in front of the printing block and moves rearwardly passing underneath the printing block to wipe ink thereon during downward movement of the printing unit and returns to'the front of the printing block upon return of the printing unit to its upper limit of movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable stand on which the printing unit is mounted for accurately positioning the printing block relative to an article to be marked.

Objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a side View of the machine with the stand shown'partially in section;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional View taken on Yline 2- of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing the printing unit at its upper limit of movement;

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 but showing the printing unit in a position-just prior to the downward limit of movement of the printing block;

FIG. S is similar to FIG. 3 but showing the printing block in an intermediate-vertical position after a container has been marked;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic showing of the electrical circuit for the machine;

. FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 2 showing a stop connection for the printing unit; and f FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view taken on line 8--8 of FIG. 1 showing the details of construction of the adjustable stand for the marking machine.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a stand generally designated by numeral 10 has mounted thereon a housing 12 which carries a printing unit 14 for marking an article 11. A cover 13 for the housing is pivotally mounted thereon by pins 1S and the cover is retained in a closed ice position by a spring latch 17 fixed to the solenoid base- 12A by any suitable means. On the housing there are also mounted a plug receptacle 16 for connection-to a power source and a receptacle 18 for a fuse which is part of the electrical circuit to be described hereinafter.

The printing unit 14 comprises a rectangular frame 20 which has studs 22 on its sides near the bottom thereof which slide in'slots 24 in the sides of housing 12 (see FIG. 3) thereby guiding the frame for vertical reciprocal movement in the housing. On the bottom cross bar 27 of the frame 20 there is a slot'26 for receiving a screwthreaded stud 28 mounted on the top of a printing block 30. The printing block 30 may therefore be detachably mounted to the frame by means of a nut 25 threaded on stud 28. The printing block 30 can be ofY any of the conventional types, the one illustrated havinga plurality of endless rubber belts 32 with type thereon and serrated wheels 34 for turning the belts 32 so as to properly position the type at the bottom of the printing block.

Mounted to the housing by an insulator bracket 35 is a solenoid coil 36 which carries a solenoid core 38. The core is xed to the upper cross bar 40 of the frame 20 by two washers 42 and 44 iXed to the upper portion thereof. Mounted on the upper portion of the solenoid coil 36 is a coil spring 46 which surrounds the core 38 and abuts against washer 44 on the upper part of the core. The electrical circuit to be described hereinbelow is ar.- ranged so that when the solenoid coil 36 is'energized, theprinting unit 14, including the core 38 and the rectangular frame 20 fixed thereto, will move downwardly to mark the article 11 positioned underneath the printing block 30 and the spring 46 will return the printing unit to its uppermost position after the solenoid coil has been deenergized. In order to cushion the return of the printing unit 14 to its uppermost position, there is provided a dash pot having a cylinder 48 mounted by a screw 50 on the upper portion of housing 12. The upper por tion of core 38 carries a dash pot piston 49 slidable inthe cylinder 48. The dash pot may be. of any conventional type wherein the piston 49 carries a sealing member (not shown) and the cylinder 48 is ventedto the atmosphere whereby upward movementofthe printing unit 1 4 will be cushioned. y y f. Y 4 In order to deenergize the solenoid coil 36, thereis provided a sensing device generally designated by. numeral 52 and is best seen inFIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5. The sensing device includes a sensor member or rod 54 which is 4mounted vertically on the frame 20 and hasa hand-engaging portion 56 which extends through an opening 58 in the upper portion of the housing 12.` At the lower end of the sensor rod 54 there isan enlarged portion 60 which is positioned above a stop member 62. The stop member 62 is mounted on the housing v12 and extends through a slot 64 in the rectangular frame 20 and in the path of downward vertical movement* of the sensor rod. 4Intermediate the ends of the sensor rod 54 there is a stop block 66 which is screw-threaded on a screw-threaded portion 68 of the rod and therefore is retained `from sliding vertically thereon. Between the stop blocky 66 and a sensor rod bushing 70 mounted in the upper cross bar 40 of the frame 2t), is a helical spring 72 which urges the stop block 66 and the sensor rod in a downward direction. Below the stop block is an abutment member 74 mounted on the frame 20 having a vertical opening therein (not shown) through which the sensor rod 54 extends. As can be seen from the drawings, the abutment member 74 supports the sensor rod 54 and stop block 66 thereon. It can also be seen that when the printing unit 14 is caused to be moved downwardly by energizing the solenoid coil 36, the sensor rod 54 will strike the stop member 62. This will cause the stop block 66 on the rod to also be stopped while the frame 20 carrying the abutment member 74 will continue its downward movement, thereby providing a space between the' stop block 66 and the abutment member and permitting means, to be described hereinb'elow, to be actuated to deenergize the solenoid coil 36.

I t is important that the enlarged portion 60 on rod 54 strike the stop member 62 at an instant just prior to the downward limit of movement of the printing unit 14, thereby deener'gizing the solenoid coil 36 at that instant and permitting the inertia of the printing unit to carry the printing block 30 to its lowermost position to mark the article 11. By de'energizing the solenoid coil 36 at that instant, a clear and sharp mark will be made, free of the blurring and distortion found in marks made by prior art devices. In order for the enlarged portion 60 on rod 54 to strike stop member 62 at the desired time, it is obvious that the enlarged portion 60 must be spaced a distance from stop member 62 less than the distance between the bottom of the printing block 30 and the top of the article 11 to be marked. In order to regulate the distance between enlarged portion 60 on sensor rod 54 and the stop member 62 to compensate for different sizes of articles tvo be marked, or to change the instant solenoid il 36 is deener'gized, the sensor rod 54 has been made vertically adjustable relative to the stop member 62. Sensor rod 54 may be so adjusted `by merely turning the handeng'agin'g portion 56 to screw the rod 54 in a vertical direc-y tion within block 66. Since the block 66 abuts member 74, the rod 54 will be vertically adjusted relative to the abutment member 74, the frame 20 and therefore to the stop member 62.

A switch actuator generally designated by numeral 76 is provided for actuating a micro switch 78 which opens the' solenoid circuit to deenergize the coil 36 when the sensor rojd54 strikes the stop member 62. The switch actuator 76 is carried by the rectangular frame 20 and comprises a spring-like rod 77 having its lower portion abutting against a studYA 78 on the frame with its end wrapped around a stud 80 also on the frame. The spring- ,like rod 77 is so mounted as to be biased in the direction of micro switch 78 and carries an actuator arm 82 at its upper end. The rod 77 is slidable in a slot 84 in abutment member 74 and has a laterally extending arm 86 which normally lies on the top of abutment member 74 and is prevented from moving in a rearward direction toward switch 78 by the stop block 66 on the sensor rod 54, most clearly seen in FIG. 3. When the solenoid coil 36 is actuated moving the printing unit 14 downward and carrying the sensor rod S4 therewith, the lower enlarged portion 60 of the rod will strike the stop member 62 on the housing, thus stopping the downward movement of the stop' block 66. This will occur just prior to the downward limit of movement of the printing unit 14 as explained hereinbefore'. Since the frame 20 will continue its downward movement, the abutment member 74 thereonwill become spaced from the stop block 66, as seen in FIG. 4, thereby permitting the lateral arm 86 on the spring-like rod 77 to move rearwardly or to the right as seen in FIG. 4.

The micro switch 78 carries a vertically hanging switch leaf 88 which will be moved by the actuator arm 82 when the switch actuatorf76 moves rearwardly. The switch leaf 88 will then shift the plunger 90 on the micro switch 78 to a second position to be described more fully in connection with the electrical circuitry of the device, and the lower portion of the switch leaf will be pushed against an electromagnetic coil 92 mounted on the housing 12,

and will be held from returning to a vertical position by the electromagnetic coil 92. The coil 92 by holding the switch leaf 88 will assure that the plunger 90 of the micro switch 78 will not be returned to a vertical position to reenergize the solenoid coil 36.

After the printing unit 14 has marked the article 11, the spring 46 will return the printing unit to its upper limit of movement. In order to reset the spring actuator 76, there is provided a cam surface 94 on the housing 12 along which the actuator arm 82 will ride during upward movement of the printing unit 14, thereby moving the entire switch actuator 76 to its normal position, as seen in FIG. 3, whereby the sensing device 52 will be in a position for an additional marking cycle.

As stated hereinabove, the electromagnetic coil 92 will hold the switch leaf 88 in the position seen in FIG. 5 assuring that the solenoid coil 36 will not be reenergized until the electromagnetic coil 92 is deenergiz'ed.

Referring to FIG. 6, which shows the electrical circuitry for the machine, there is provided a power source at 96. A conductor 98 is connected to one terminal o f the power source 96 and has therein a switch 100 which is manually operable to close the circuit. The conductor 98 runs to the electromagnetic coil 92 to which it is connected and then extends to a Contact 102 in the micro switch 78. From the other terminal of the power source 96 there runs a conductor 104 which contains a fuse 106 and is connected to the upper portion of a switch arm 107, representing the plunger of the micro switch, and within which the switch leaf 88 is operatively associated. The micro switch 78 has a second contact 108 and a conductor leading therefrom to one end of the solenoid coil 36. The other end of the coil 36 is electrically connected to conductor 98 by a conductor 112 thereby completing the solenoid circuit. FlG. 6 also shows schematically the position of the printing unit 14, sensor rod 54, stop member 62 and in dotted lines 114, a connection between the sensor rod 54 and switch leaf 88 which represents the switch actuator structure 76. These elements are shown in their normal position before the electrical circuit has been closed by switch 100. When it is desired to operate the marking machine, the switch 100 is manually operated to close the circuit and cause the solenoid coil 36 to be energized, thereby actuating the printing unit 14. When the printing unit reaches a position just prior to its downward limit of movement, the lower end of sensor rod 54 will strike the stop member 62 thereby shifting the switch leaf 88 and consequently arm 107, or plunger 90, to the right, against contact 102 of the micro switch, and its bottom portion against the electromagnetic coil 92. With the switch leaf 88 in this position, the solenoid 36 will be deenergized and the circuit to the electromagnetic coil 92 will be closed, thereby permitting the electromagnetic coil 92 to hold the switch leaf 88 in that position. After the article 11 has been marked by the machine, the operator will release switch 100 thereby deenergizing the electromagnetic coil 92 and permitting the switch leaf 88 to fall to a vertical position, as seen in FIG. 3, which will be the position in which it rests upon contact 108 of the micro switch 78.

An additional feature of the invention is an inking roller 116 which is so mounted as to pass below the printing block 30 and wipe ink on the type thereon. The inking roller 116 is carried by a pair of arms 118 pivotally mounted at 120 to the housing 12. The studs 22 on the printing unit 14 slide both in the openings 24 in the housing and also in cam follower slots 122 in arms 118, one of which is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3. The studs 22 constitute cams `and are operatively connected with the cam follower slots 122 so that when the printing unit 14 is at its uppermost position, the inking roller 116 will be positioned lforwardly of the printing block 30. When the printing unit moves downwardly, studs 22 riding in the cam follower slots 122 will move the inking roller 116 to a position rearwardly of the printing block 30. An ink pad 124 having a handle 125 thereon is mounted by a clip 126 to the rear of the housing 12 so that when the printing roller 116 moves to its rearward position, it will abut the ink pad 124 and rep-lenish the supply of ink on the roller. After the printing block 30 strikes the object to be marked, the inking roller 116 will be returned to a position forwardly of printing block 30 and out of the path thereof. This arrangement will provide a double wiping of the roller 116 over the bottom of the printing block, thereby assuring an adequate supply of ink thereon and will keep the roller out of contact with the printing block when the machine is not operating.

There is 4also provid-ed in the machine a stop connection for positioning the printing unit 14 in an intermediate position between its upper and lower limits of movement which is shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 7. The stop connection comprises a latch member 128 pivotally mounted on the upper cross bar 4t) of the rectangular frame 20 by a screw 130. The end portion 132 of the latch member 128 may be moved into a position to be received in openings 134 and 136 in the side of the housing 12 and thereby will retain the printing unit 14 in either of two positions relative to the housing. When the end portion :132 of latch member 128 is in the upper opening 134, the printing unit will be so positioned that the studs 22 lthereon coopertaing with the cam follower slots 122 in arms 118 will cause the inking roller 116 to be positioned behind .the printing block 30. With the inking roller 116 in this position the printing block 30 may be easily disassembled from the printing unit 14 by removing the nut 25 from stud 28. Also the serrated wheels 34 of the printing block are more easily accessible for adjusting the rubber belts 32 which carry the type thereon. When the latch member l128 is in a position shown in the dotted l-ines of FIG. 2, engaging the lower opening 136, the printing unit 14 will be in a position closely adjacent its lower limit of movement whereby accurate adjustment of the sensor device 52 relative to stop member 62 will be facilitated.

The entire printing unit 14 and housing 12 is mounted -on a stand 10, the details of which are most clearly seen in FIGS. 1 and 8. The stand 10 includes an upright supporting member 138 having a laterally and horizontally extending shaft 140 rotatably mounted thereon. The shaft 146 carries two pinions 142 operably connected to racks 144 carri-ed by a rack member 146 which is slidably mounted for vertical movement on the supporting member 138. On one end of the shaft 140 there is provided a knob 148 for turning the shaft 140 and pinions 142, thereby vertically shifting the position of the rack member `146. A `set screw 150 is also provided in the support member 138 with its end abutting against the shaft 140 for securing the shaft in any desired position. The rack member 146 includes a projection 152 on which there is slidably mounted for vertical movement a second supporting member 154. The second supporting member 154 is a rectangular frame and has one of its sides 155 spaced from the projection 152, to provide a space for a bearing plate 156. The upper cross-member 158 of the second support member 154, as seen in FIG. 1, projects over the projection 152 of the rack member 146. Cross-member 158 contains a screw-threaded opening 160 through which there is threadedly received a screw member 162 having a handle 164 on the upper portion thereof. The lower portion `of Ithe screw member 162 abuts against the projection 152 of the rack mem-ber 146, and it can be readily seen that by turning the screw 162, the second supporting member 154 will be vertically adjusted relative to the rack member 146. A set screw 166 is also provided in the second supporting member 154 and abuts against .the bearing plate 156. When the set screw 166 is threaded tightly, .the bearing plate 156 is pushed against the projection 162 of the rack member 146 thereby rigidly securing the second supporting member to the rack member. The housing 12 of the machine is mounted on the second supporting member by means of screws 168 and spacers 170. With this arrangement, the housing 12 and printing unit 14 may be vertically positioned to a rou-gh degree of accuracy with respect to the article 11 by turning the knob 148 to operate the rack and pinion arrangement between `the main supporting member 138 and the rack member 146. The set screw mem- |ber 162 carried by ythe second supporting member 154 provides a -ine adjustment of the housing 12 4and printing un-it 114 .with respect to the article so that the printing block 30 may be positioned to strike the article exactly at the instant that the printing unit 114 is at its lowermost limit of movement.

It will of course be understood that Various changes can be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of `the various parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for marking container tops or the like comprising a stand, .a frame mounted for reciprocal vertical movement on said stand, a printing block on the bottom of said frame, means biasing said frame to the upper limit of movement thereof, a solenoid including coil and core elements, one of said elements being connected to said stand and the other of said elements being connected to said frame, an electrical circuit including a switch for energizing said solenoid to move the frame and printing block downwardly to mark a container, a sensor member mounted on and movable with said frame with its lower end terminating above Ithe container to be marked, a stop member on said stand positioned below said lower end of said sensor member a distance less than the distance between the bottom of said printing block and 'the container to be marked when the frame is at its upper limit of movement, said stop :member lying in the path of downward movement of said sensor member, a second switch in said electrical circuit, a switch actuator carried by said frame and biased to open said second switch, movable means on said sensor member retaining said switch actuator from opening saidisecond switch when said frame is at said upper limit of movement and releasing said switch actuator to open said second switch to deenerigize said solenoid when said sensor member strikes said stop member during downward movement of said frame.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim l, including reset means on said stand and lengageable by said switch ac- .tuator to return said switch actuator to `a position to be retained by said movable means.

3. An apparatus for marking container tops or the like comprising a stand, a frame mounted for reciprocal vertical movement on said stand, a printing block on the bottom of said frame, means biasing said frame to lthe upper limit of movement thereof, a solenoid includlng coil and `core elements, one of said elements being connected to said stand and the other of said elements being connect-ed to said frame, an electrical circuit including a switch for energizing said solenoid to move the frame and printing block downwardly to mark a container, a sensor member mounted on and movable with said frame, a stop member on said stand positioned below said lower end of said sensor member, a distance less than the distance between the bottom of said printing block .and the container 4to be marked when the frame istat its upper limit of movement, said stop member lying in the path of downward movement of said sensor member, a second switch in said electrical circuit movable between two positions, an electromagnetic coil in said electrical circuit, said second switch in one position energizing said solenoid only and in its second position energizing said :electromagnetic coil only, said electromagnetic coil being operatively positioned relative to said second switch to hold it in its second position when energized, and switch actuating means operatively associated with the sensor member carried by said frame for moving said second switch from said one position to said second position when said sensor member strikes said stop member during downward movement of said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,161,848 11/15 Corne-1l et a1. 88-39 1,172,237 2/16 Folger et al. 101--103 1,353,994 9/20 Folger et a1. lOl-103 1,511,438 10/24 Baker 101-35 WILLIAM Kiesling et al. lOl-407r Ostler.

Bausch 88-39 Ostler.

Klug.

Phipps.

Porter lOl-44 Farkay lOl-35 Lane 101-4 Wade 101-44 B. PENN, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT A. LEIGHEY, Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR MARKING CONTAINER TOPS OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A STAND, A FRAME MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCAL VERTICAL MOVEMENT ON SAID STAND, A PRINTING BLOCK ON THE BOTTOM OF SAID FRAME, MEANS BIASING SAID FRAME TO THE UPPER LIMIT OF MOVEMENT THEREOF, A SOLENOID INCLUDING COIL AND CORE ELEMENTS, ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID STAND AND THE OTHER OF SAID ELEMENTS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME, AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT INCLUDING A SWITCH FOR ENERGIZING SAID SOLENOID TO MOVE THE FRAME AND PRINTING BLOCK DOWNWARDLY TO MARK A CONTAINER, A SENSOR MEMBER MOUNTED ON AND MOVABLE WITH SAID FRAME WITH ITS LOWER END TERMINATING ABOVE THE CONTAINER TO BE MARKED, A STOP MEMBER ON SAID STAND POSITIONED BELOW SAID LOWER END OF SAID SENSOR 